The most popular method of copying a paper original is to utilize a copying machine. Recent digital copying machines have a read image transmission function of transmitting, as a file, image data of an original read from a scanner to a host computer (external apparatus) connected via a network (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-132642).
An original is set on the scanner of a copying machine, the number of copies is input, the copy button is pressed, and then the designated number of copies can be created. According to this method, however, if an original is skewed and read by the scanner, corresponding pages of all copies are skewed and printed. Copying by the copying machine adds noise or black points to an original, degrading the image quality. This method cannot remove an unnecessary page number, header, or footer attached to an original, and add a new page number, header, or footer. Also, this method cannot provide more advanced original editing such as adjustment of a position at which a specific original page is to be printed. To solve these problems, there have conventionally been proposed two methods.
The first method is executed by a single copying machine. An original read by the scanner of the copying machine is temporarily saved in the copying machine. The user confirms the state of the saved original, and performs print settings for improving the above-mentioned problems. The saved original is then copied in accordance with the print settings (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-283933). This method is adopted when skew correction and removal of noise and black points are automatically executed. However, advanced editing such as header/footer editing or print position adjustment for each page is rarely executed owing to the operability and performance of the copying machine, or is performed at poor operability.
The second method enables even advanced editing by temporarily transferring an original read by the scanner of a copying machine to an information processing apparatus connected to the copying machine, and using application software with high performance and advanced functions in the information processing apparatus and high-operability interfaces such as a display, mouse, and keyboard (see, e.g., Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2000-165639).
Conventionally, a high-quality copy of a paper original is created by these two methods.
However, the following problems arise when a paper original is to be copied by these conventional methods, particularly when an original contains single- and double-sided printed parts and the single- and double-sided printed parts of the original are to be reproduced without any change.
In order to save labor, an entire original is scanned as a double-sided printed material without any consciousness of single- and double-sided printed parts, and printing is executed after a process such as image correction. In this case, the single-sided printed original part is also reproduced by double-sided printing. Unnecessary copying is done and charged for a lower blank surface of the single-sided printed part.
To avoid unwanted charging, very cumbersome operation must be done. That is, an original is sorted into single- and double-sided printed original parts, and each sorted part is scanned. Single- or double-sided printing is designated for each scanned part, and printing is executed by a designated number of copies.